Designed with high-power density, the 16-cylinder QSK95 exceeds the power output of other large 1800-rpm high-speed engines with 20 cylinders. Compared with much larger medium-speed engines operating below 1200 rpm, the QSK95 offers a more compact and cost-effective solution to achieve the same power output.

The QSK95 is suited for high-hour, high-load applications in passenger and freight locomotives, many types of marine vessels and ultra-class mine haul trucks.

For power generation applications, the QSK95 meets the need for highly dependable, fuel-efficient performance. For offshore oil and gas platforms, the QSK95 will be available as a ready-to-install drilling power module. The QSK95 will power the new C3000 Series genset from Cummins Power Generation, providing a class-leading 3.5-MW high-speed output.

For all applications, the QSK95 is ready to meet stringent emissions standards, including EPA Tier 4 Final, taking effect in 2015, using Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) aftertreatment designed by Cummins to replace the exhaust muffler.

The QSK95 is pre-engineered to add four cylinders and will achieve more than 5000-hp (3728 kW) with the QSK120 engine, moving the boundaries of high-speed diesel performance even further ahead. The QSK120 will utilize the same architecture and systems as the QSK95, providing the advantage of platform commonality.

Cummins has committed major resources to the new QSK95 and the high-horsepower platform, with 150 engineers working on the project and more than $100 million invested to establish a new production line and test facilities at the Seymour Engine Plant.

The QSK95 was developed using advanced analytical tools, including highly advanced combustion modeling.

Using powerful analysis programs, we evaluated thousands of possible combustion designs until we arrived at the optimum formula for fuel efficiency, performance, emissions control and power cylinder durability before cutting any metal for the QSK95.

The QSK95 is designed with immense strength at the heart of the engine, enabling the power cylinder to achieve higher levels of peak cylinder pressure. This gives a higher threshold in-cylinder to focus on emissions reduction and improve fuel efficiency.

A key achievement of our combustion analysis-led work is that the QSK95 makes no performance compromise to meet very low emissions standards—an advantage that few, if any, other large high-speed or medium-speed engines will be able to claim for Tier 4.

—Jim Trueblood, Vice-President – Cummins High-Horsepower Engineering

While the QSK95 is an all-new platform, the engine has been able to take advantage of proven performance systems from within Cummins high-horsepower technology portfolio.

A quad-turbocharger system brings highly reliable air-handling direct from the QSK60 engine to the QSK95. The four compact turbochargers provide outstanding step-load acceptance and transient response with the simplicity of single-stage operation.

The Modular Common-Rail System (MCRS) is upgraded to a next-generation design with up to 2200-bar high-pressure fuel injection. MCRS achieves high fuel efficiency, reduces noise, offers smooth idle stability and eliminates visible smoke across the operating range.

The SCR aftertreatment system is purpose-designed for the QSK95 to provide a highly flexible, installation package for Tier 4 Final and similar ultra-low emissions standards. Design space remains available within the aftertreatment system configuration for additional Particulate Matter (PM) reduction technology if required for specific applications.

Depending on the duty-cycle, the Cummins SCR system is capable of achieving fuel savings of 5–10%, together with a significant reduction in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The SCR fuel savings are incremental to those already realized by the high-pressure fuel system, reducing the cost of operation by more than the cost of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) required for the SCR system.

By using Cummins SCR aftertreatment solution, the QSK95 avoids the need for an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system on the engine to reduce Oxides of Nitrogen (NO_x). This EGR-free approach avoids the inherent complexity of applying it to high-output engines and means that no compromise is made to serviceability. A further advantage is that no additional heat rejection is generated by the engine, avoiding both an installation cost and space impact.